


Unexpected

by HerbalMaiden



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Maybe more - Freeform, Modern, Possible One Shot, Sansa has a kid, Strangers, sansan, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-20
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-04 13:43:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12772287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerbalMaiden/pseuds/HerbalMaiden
Summary: Sandor is minding his business in a park deep in the recesses of the Northern kingdom while on a business venture. An unexpected visitor arrives and takes him to just the person he's looking for.





	Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Literally scribbled this down after waking up at two am. Its probably garbage, but it may be a piece of garbage one-shot that ends up with a couple follow up shorts. We shall see. Reviews are love! I write this for pleasure, not profit. I own nothing that belongs to the Great George R.R. Martin. Enjoy, my lovelies!
> 
> Herbal Maiden

Sandor would not have known the child was present had his voice not broken his utter focus from he frustratingly scanty file in his hands. 

"Doggy!" the small boy's voice declared brightly, his finger pointed to Sandor's large black Norvoshi shepard. 

Sandor's mouth grimaced slightly, in wait for the kid to notice his scars. He knew the routine well. His innocent face would crumple with unshed tears, only to turn to wails. Arms would reach outstretched for a mother's comfort. 

The dog cocked its head at his master's hesitance to respond. Sandor cleared his throat and nodded, more to himself than the child. His eyes darted from side to side. No parents, no other children in sight. No one but he, his dog, and the lost boy. He looked down at the boy who was gently patting Stranger's head. The dog endured patiently, stoic, neither disliking or appreciating the affectionate gesture. 

"Swee' doggy," the boy said quietly aloud, to no one in particular as he stared at the trees on the other side of the pond. 

"Yeah, he is," Sandor agreed, he crouched down to the boy's level. "I'm Sandor. What is your name?" 

"Ed," he replied, emphasizing the 'd.' His hand continued stroking the dog's broad head. 

"Where is your mother, Ed?" he inquired, his voice taking on the low rasp he used when trying to calm a frantic client. He had already folded and tucked the file into the interior pocket of his worn leather jacket. 

"Work." He emphasized the 'k.'

The boy looked Sandor directly in the eye, his focus never straying to the scars that tarnished the left side of his face. 

Sandor held back the sigh that threatened to push past his lips. "Where is your father?" 

"Pay," Ed supplied immediately. 

His face lit with a smile, exposing two missing bottom teeth. He pointed his hand toward the poorly maintained path that rounded the pond and disappeared through woods...eventually reaching a play ground beside the parking lot. It was the only play ground in an eighty mile radius of the small town, village more like. 

'Playground," Sandor thought to himself, he understood what 'pay' was now.

Sandor forced himself to stop the scowl that itched to creep onto his face. What father let a boy wander nearly a mile away? He tried to swallow back the once familiar rage that appeared with memories, reminders of his own father. 

A short, sharp whistle came through his lips instead. Stranger rose to his feet in response. With a deep breath, Sandor stood as well. 

"Let's find your dad, yeah?" 

"Okay," Ed said with a shrug. He stood with a straight back, seeming neither excited or worried at the prospect of being reunited with his worried parent. 

Without question, he took Sandor's huge hand in his own. He  tugged him toward the previously identified trail, fearlessly leading the giant scarred man and dog into the strip of forest. 

Sandor observed the boy as they trekked through the woods. The boy would stop now and again, his gaze went to the sky or toward the wildlife that corralled them. He identified things he recognized, some simple, others Sandor could not understand. Rock, 'tee,' 'fower,' bug, bird, sun, 'coud.' The short walk went on in long, long seconds for Sandor.

The boy obviously had some sort of language impairment or delay. Sandor didn't see hearing aids or cochlear implants. The boy's hair had been tied back in a long, messy ponytail. When Sandor would make the occasional terse comment, he could see the kid's wheels spin as he paused to take in what he had said. 

Stranger walked between the boy and man on the unexpected journey. 

The boy was tall from Sandor's judgement. He had long dark hair, as dark Sandor's own. But his eyes were a crystal blue, so full of innocence it made Sandor's heart ache. They were still walking when Sandor's line of thought was broken by the sound of raised voices. The park lights had gone on automatically as the sun settled beyond the horizon. 

"How long has he been gone?" a female demanded shrilly. "Why did you even-" 

A crack and an instantaneous gasp followed the cut off sentence. Sandor swiftly lifted the boy into his arms and Stranger's ears perked at Sandor's sudden change in demeanor. The dog walked beside him without a leash. Sandor kept his right arm free, holding the boy within the crook of his left with ease. The boy laughed at the sudden height difference and clapped. 

The two adults in the distance paused their confrontation at the sound of Ed's voice. 

"Mama!" the boy exclaimed, squirming his way from Sandor's hold and sliding down his body to run across the remaining distance. 

Sandor followed slowly, giving the mother and son a moment as the boy launched around her middle. He knocked the air from her with and audible "oomph" with the force of his impact. 

"Eddard," she whispered fiercely into his long dark hair. "Oh, how happy mama is to see you, sweet boy." 

 She looked up as Sandor's shadow shrouded the mother and child's embrace. 

"And who is this?" Sansa asked her son gently. 

The woman wiped her glistening eyes behind her son's field of view as his arms moved to cling around her shoulders. 

Sandor didn't miss the bright red hand print that marred the right side of her face. It would be sure to bruise. He didn't miss the silvery scars that trailed up her neck and into her hairline. Nor did his sharp eyes miss the circular mark beneath her left eye, suspiciously the shape and color of a cigarette burn. But her red hair and blue eyes made his legs feel like water. A gem in a coal mine. 

"Sandor," the boy said clear and proud. He pulled back slightly from his mother to turn and smile at him. 

"Let's go," the man that had gone ignored suddenly snarled. He'd slipped within only a few feet of the reunited mother and son. "I'm sure Ed wants his supper after our long day at the playground." 

Sandor waited for the inevitable. For the woman to grimace from old and fresh unseen wounds as she rose to her feet. For her to tilt her head down in submission as she lead her innocent boy by the hand to endure more of the same abuse. But the woman's voice was ice when she responded. 

"No," the beauty bit back instantly. "The next time you see me or my son will be at court. Stay away from us." 

The man had a dark buzz cut, probably ex-military. A lot of the veterans ended up North, hoping to find fortune in the endless ancient tunnels that had once belonged to the Children of the Forest. 

"That isn't how it works, babe." He even had the audacity to chuckle and smile. "Get in the truck, little lady." 

"She isn't going with you," Sandor cut in. His voice brooked no argument. Sandor's hand was behind his back, finger on the trigger of his side arm. He stepped forward, placing himself between the abuser and the innocents in a single stride. His hand drew the gun sharply. "Don't fucking bother reaching for the knife. Get in your truck and drive. Then I want you to thank the gods I am a patient man." 

The cunt eyed Sandor's pistol and the snarling beast at his side before he turned away. He entered the illegally parked vehicle and slammed the door with more force than necessary. The tires spun gravel and salt in its wake. 

Sandor expected recycled explanations, fear, trauma, tears. But after he holstered his gun, arms wrapped around his legs. Two slender hands grasped his own. 

"It's nice to finally meet you, Sandor Clegane," the woman breathed. "I'm Sansa Stark, and this is -" 

"Eddard Stark," he finished. "You're my pro bono case," he realized aloud. The woman he had arranged to remove from her abuser and try to bring legal justice, or at the very least, safety. 

"And you're the Hound," she barked back. "I hope you're as good as I've hear." She jerked her head in the direction of where the truck had sped off. "I need all the help I can get." 

Sandor's mouth twitched at her confidence. More scars came to light as her mouth moved with each word. 

"Hardest part is done," he informed her. 

"What's that?" 

He looked down at their hands. Hers shielded his right from the bitter winter cold of the Northern Kingdom. Eddard had crouched to pet the no longer snarling Stranger. The boy interrupted their conversation. He tugged his mother to his level to gently trace the red that began to swell upon her angular face. "Booboo," he observed sadly. 

"You left," Sandor replied, as he offered a hand to help her to her feet. 

"I didn't expect you to show up with guns literally drawn," Sansa half laughed, the rest of her face matching the red of being struck as she blushed. 

"I'm not your conventional lawyer." 

"I wouldn't have sought your help if I'd thought otherwise." 


End file.
